'He's Great Fun': Epstein's Push for Prince Andrew Meetings
Newly-unsealed court documents have revealed disturbing details about disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein's ongoing relationship with Prince Andrew, months after the Duke of York claimed to have severed ties with the convicted sex offender. The email correspondence, released by the US Congress last week, shows Epstein actively encouraging business associates to socialise with Andrew, describing the royal as "great fun" who could provide laughter and entertainment.
The exchange between Epstein and Boris Nikolic, a former scientific adviser to Bill Gates, occurred in January 2010 while Andrew was in Davos, Switzerland, officially representing British trade interests at the World Economic Forum. This communication took place just six months after Epstein's release from a Florida prison, where he served time for procuring a minor for prostitution.
In one particularly telling email, Epstein urges Nikolic to connect with Andrew, writing: "Yes you do. You need to laugh and have fun. He is good at that... He's great fun." Nikolic, who would later be named as a backup executor of Epstein's will, responded sceptically, noting he had heard Andrew "is not that fun, but I trust your judgement."
Royal Cover-Up Attempts Exposed
The document trove, comprising over 20,000 pages obtained from Epstein's estate by the House Oversight Committee, reveals desperate attempts by Prince Andrew to distance himself from the growing scandal as early as 2011. In a March 2011 email chain that included Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, Andrew appears to beg for help clearing his name as The Mail on Sunday prepared to break its world exclusive about Virginia Giuffre's allegations.
An exasperated Andrew writes: "Please make sure that every statement or legal letter states clearly that I am NOT involved and that I knew and know NOTHING about any of these allegations. I can't take any more of this my end."
Contradicting his public claims of having cut ties with Epstein after the financier's 2008 conviction, these communications show the Duke remained in contact with Epstein through at least 2011, actively seeking his assistance in managing the fallout from Giuffre's accusations.
Wider Network of Influence Revealed
The emails also shed light on Epstein's astonishing reach into the highest levels of British politics and business. Correspondence shows the financier helped arrange a 2010 Davos meeting between former Barclays boss Jes Staley, Lord Mandelson and then-Chancellor Alistair Darling.
Perhaps most damagingly, the documents reveal that Lord Mandelson, who resigned as UK ambassador to Washington earlier this year after referring to Epstein as "my best pal," continued corresponding with the sex offender as late as 2016. In one exchange, Epstein advises Mandelson: "you were right about staying away from Andrew."
The publication comes amid a congressional inquiry into why Epstein wasn't brought to justice at federal level before his death in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for multiple sex trafficking offences. Congress is expected to vote soon on a motion demanding the release of all Epstein files held by the US Department of Justice.
The scandal continues to have severe consequences for Prince Andrew, with King Charles having stripped him of his royal titles and plans underway to evict him from his 30-room Royal Lodge residence in Windsor. Meanwhile, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson has faced collateral damage, with her children's book unexpectedly withdrawn from publication amid the ongoing controversy.
